Shelf structure



Nov. 27, 1962 H. F. SWANSON 3,065,860

SHELF STRUCTURE Filed Aug 26, 1960 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 FIG.4 10.5

INVENTOR. flerieizl 5100 607!) ATTOR NEYS Nov; 27, 1962 H. F. SWANSON3,065,860

SHELF STRUCTURE Filed Aug. 26. 1960 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR. fiffiffijjava/:6

ATTORNEYS 3,065,.flflfl Patented Nov. 27, 162

3,065,860 SHELF STRUCTURE Herbert F. Swanson, Belmont, Mass, assignor toMarket Forge Company, Everett, Mass, a corporation of MassaehusettsFiled Aug. 26, 1960, Ser. No. 52,6376 13 Claims. (Cl. 211153) Thisinvention relates to shelving and particularly to sheet metal shelvingand has for its principal objects to provide improved corner legbrackets by means of which such shelving may be supported in parallelrelation on legs and for adjustment of the spacing of the shelving.Other objects are to provide corner leg brackets which can be made upindependently of the shelf panel itself, so that shelf lengths may bemade up quickly and easily to order without requiring stocking of alarger number of sizes; to provide a corner leg bracket which may beattached to the shelving panel without fastening elements which maybecome loose and a lodging place for dirt and unsanitary; to provide aleg bracket which blends with the shelf panel so as to be attractive;and to provide a leg bracket which is designed for casting in quantitywith an appreciable saving in cost of manufacture. Further objects areto provide corner brackets of such design as to resist displacementrelative to their attaching flanges; a shelf which is of improvedrigidity and stiifness; andv to provide an auxiliary back panel for theshelf.

As herein illustrated, the shelving comprises a sheet metal shelf panelhaving right angularly disposed flanges along its edges and cornerbrackets disposed at each corner of the panel, each bracket containingan opening perpendicular to the plane of the panel and having a pair ofright angularly disposed arms engaged with the inner sides of theflanges at the corners. The legs correspondin vertical depth to thedepth of the flanges and are retained in place with their upper edgesabutting the undersides of the panel and portions of the lower edges ofthe flanges rolled inwardly beneath their lower edges. Optionally, thelegs of the bracket have means interengageable with the flanges of theshelf to prevent displacement of the legs relative to the flanges whenthe latter have been rolled inwardly beneath their lower edges.Additionally, there may be reinforcing bars disposed lengthwise of theflanges with their edges retained between the panel and the lower edgesof the flanges as are the legs of the corner brackets. A back panel ofsheet metal is adapted to be disposed lengthwise of the shelf and hasspaced parallel clamping means for engagement with the shelf to secureit thereto.

The invention will now be described in greater detail with reference tothe accompanying drawings wherein:

FIG. 1 is a fragmentary perspective of a corner portion of a shelf panelwith the corner cut away for receiving a corner leg bracket;

FIG. 2 is a plan view of the top side of a shelf panel showing thecorner brackets incorporated therein;

FIG. 3 is an enlarged bottom view of a portion of a shelf panel at onecorner;

FIG. 4 is a section taken on the line 4-4 of FIG. 2;

FIG. Sis a section taken on the line 55 of FIG. 2;

FIG. 6 is a section taken on the line 6-6 of FIG. 2, on an enlargedscale;

FIG. 7 is a perspective view of the corner bracket removed from theshelf panel;

FIG. 8 is a fragmentary view at one end of a stand of shelves showingthe end portions of two spaced parallel shelves disposed on a supportingleg;

FIG. 9 is a fragmentary plan view of a shelf panel at one corner showingthe corner bracket with the locking ribbing and bosses incorporatedtherein;

FIG. 10 is a section on line 1i10 of FIG. 9;

FIG. 11 is a bottom view of the shelf showing side and centerreinforcing bars;

FIG. 12 is a fragmentary perspective showing a section of a sidereinforcing bar;

FIG. 13 is a fragmentary exploded perspective showing the interlockingarrangement of the center and side reinforcing bars; and

FIG. 14 is a fragmentary perspective of a shelf back panel showing itsattaching flanges.

Referring to the drawings, the shelves which are shown herein, are madeup of sheet metal, preferably of an aluminized steel of any suitablelength and width. Each shelf has a central flat panel 10 ofsubstantially rectangular shape and right angularly disposed, downwardlyextending end and side flanges 12 and 14 situated with their upper andlower edges above and below the panel. Substantially flat, inwardly anddownwardly extending shoulders 16 connect the upper edges of the sideflanges with the panel. The lower edges of the side flanges are providedwith right-angularly disposed, inwardly projecting flanges 12a and 14a.The shoulders 16, commonly designated in the art by the term marineedges, serve to prevent spilled liquid from flowing over the edges ofthe shelves onto subjacent shelves. The side flanges constitute aperipheral skirt.

At each corner there is an opening formed by cutting a quarter circularsection out of the top panel and the portions of the flanges 12 and 14at the corner, as shown in FIG. 1. In each of these openings there isdisposed a leg bracket 18 (FIG. 7) which has a vertically disposed legopening 29 in it perpendicular to the plane of the top panel, the legbracket filling the opening so that the completed shelf has smooth,attractively curved corners, as shown in in FIGS. 2 and 3. As shown, theouter cylindrical surface 19 of the leg bracket is tangent to the outersurfaces of the flanges and the inner cylindrical surface fits preciselyinto the opening in the top panel.

Each corner leg bracket 18, as shown in FIG. 7, is a cylindrical casting21 having integral with it right angularly disposed arms 22 and 24,which correspond in depth to the depth of the flanges 12 and 14 andwhich are adapted to lie inside of the flanges 12 and 14 with theirupper edges 22a and 24a situated within the upwardly concave sides ofthe beads 16 along the edges (FIG. 4). The lower edges 22b and 24b areconstrained by portions of the inwardly directed flanges 12a and 14a,rolled upwardly against the inner sides of the arms, as shown in FIG. 4.Beyond the ends of the arms the flanges 12a and 14a are left flat, asshown in FIG. 5. The upper edges 22a and 24a lie in a plane below theupper end 23 of the cylinder 21 by an amount which corresponds to thethickness of the panel 10 (FIG. 7), so that the upper surface of thebeads 16 will lie flush with the upper surface of the corner bracket.Preferably the upper edges 22a and 24a are shaped, as shown in FIGS. 4to 7, to provide a broad bearing surface substantially coextensive withthe inner surface of the upwardly inclined shoulders 16. At the innerside of the cylinder there is a horizontally disposed flange 26 forengagement with the underside of the panel 10 and a boss 28 containing athreaded opening 30 for receiving a set screw, by means of which thecorner bracket may be fixed to a supporting leg 32, such as shown inFIG. 8.

The legs at each corner bracket 18 may be modified in the originalcasting to include bosses 32 and ribs 33, as shown in FIGS. 9 and 10.Openings 34 are provided along the edges of the panel, in the shoulders16, as herein shown, to receive the corresponding bosses. The bosses andflanges 35 are rolled inwardly around the lower ends of the ribs 33, asshown in FIG. 10. The bosses and ribs, in conjunction, prevent lateralmovement of the arms 22 and 2 4 with respect to the flanges l2 and 14.

For the purpose of stiffening the shelf, as a whole, side and endreinforcing bars 36a and 36b are disposed along the flanges 12 and 14with their upper edges 37 situated within the upwardly convex sides ofthe shoulders 16. The lower edges 38 of the bars are constrained by theportions of the inwardly directed flanges 12a and 14a, which are rolledupwardly against the inner sides of the arms, as shown in FIG. 12.

A transverse reinforcing bar 39 may also be used, as shown in FIGS. 11and 13, which is secured at its ends 40 to the side bars 36a by keysways (slots) 41, located within the side bars. Only one such transversebar is shown, however, as many may be used as is desirable to stiffenthe shelf for the load which it will have to sustain.

A detachable back member 44 may also be provided for the shelf as shownin FIG. 14. The backing member has an upper flange 43 adapted to liewith its concave inner surface in contact with the outer surface of theupwardly inclined shoulder 16 connected by a vertical portion 42 to avertically spaced lower flange 45 which is bent upwardly in a flatconvex arch for yieldable engagement with the lower edge of the flange,thereby to clamp the back to the shelf.

It should be understood that the present disclosure is for the purposeof illustration only and that this invention includes all modificationsand equivalents which fall within the scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A shelf comprising a flat sheet metal panel having right-angularlydisposed, downwardly extending flanges along its edges and cut-outssituated along portions of its edge flange for receiving leg-supportingbrackets and a bracket disposed in each cut-out, each bracket containinga leg opening perpendicular to the plane of the panel, having an innerside which abuts the edge of the panel at the cut-out and an outer sidewhich is flush with the outer surface of the flange at the point ofjunction therewith, and arms extending from the bracket beyond thecut-out along the inner side of the flange, with the upper edgesabutting the underside of the panel and their lower edges confined byrolled-over portions of the lower edge of the flange.

2. A shelf comprising a flat metal panel having rightangularly disposed,downwardly extending flanges along its edges, cut-outs situated alongportions of its edge flanges and a bracket situated at each cut-out,said bracket having a portion engaged with the edge of the cut-out andportions corresponding in depth to the flange having abutting engagementwith the flanges, and arms extending therefrom along the inner sides ofthe flanges with the upper edges abutting the underside of the panel andthe lower edges confined by rolled-over portions of the lower edges ofthe flanges.

3. A shelf comprising a flat sheet metal panel having right angularlydisposed, downwardly extending flanges along its edges, quarter circularcut-outs at the corners, corner brackets disposed in the respectivecut-outs at the corners, each bracket comprising a corner piece havingan inner side which abuts the edge of the panel at the cut-out, and anouter side which is flush with the outer surfaces of the flanges at itspoint of junction therewith,

and right angularly disposed arms extending from the corner piece beyondthe cut-out along the inner sides of the flanges, with their upper edgesabutting the underside of the panel, and with their lower edges confinedby portions of the flanges rolled inwardly and upwardly about them.

4. A shelf panel according to claim 3, wherein there is a verticallydisposed rib at the inner side of each arm of the corner bracket and therolled over portion of the lower edges of the flanges embrace the lowerends of the ribs.

5. A shelf panel according to claim 3, wherein there are upwardlyprojecting bosses on the upper edges of the arms and the panel hasopenings along its edges within which the bosses are engaged.

6. A shelf panel according to claim 3, wherein there is a verticallydisposed web at the inner side of each arm of the corner bracket and anupwardly projecting boss at the top of each arm and wherein the loweredges of the flanges are rolled inwardly against the opposite sides ofthe ribs at their lower ends and the panel contains at its edgesopenings within which the bosses are engaged.

7. A shelf panel according to claim 3, wherein there are reinforcingbars disposed at the inner sides of the side and end flanges between theinner ends of the arms of the corner brackets with their upper edgesadjacent the underside of the panel and their lower edges confined bythe rolled over portions of the lower edges of the flanges.

8. A shelf panel according to claim 3, wherein there are longitudinalreinforcing bars disposed in the side flanges and a transversereinforcing bar disposed between the side flanges with its ends engagedwith the longi tudinal reinforcing bars.

9. A shelf comprising a flat sheet metal panel having an integral,perpendicularly disposed peripheral skirt and containing openings ateach corner, said skirt having upper and lower edges situated above andbelow the plane of the panel, an inwardly and downwardly inclinedshoulder connecting the upper edge of the skirt to the panel, aright-angularly disposed, inwardly extending flange at the lower edge ofthe skirt, and leg brackets secured to the panel at the openings forsupporting the panel on leg posts, each bracket containing a verticallydisposed hole in alignment with one of said panel openings for receivinga leg post, and a pair of integral arms, each arm having a flat sideparallel to the axis of the leg hole corresponding substantially indepth to the skirt and contacting the inner surface thereof to supportthe bracket with the leg hole perpendicular to the panel, and havingupper and lower edges for engagement, respectively, with the undersideof the inwardly inclined shoulder and the upper side of the flange, andsaid flange having upwardly clinched portions substantially coextensivewith the lower edges of the arms, operable, in conjunction with theinwardly and downwardly inclined shoulders at the upper edges of thearms, to hold the leg bracket anchored to the skirt.

10. A shelf comprising a flat sheet metal panel having right angularlydisposed, downwardly extending flanges along its edges, cut-outs at thecorners, corner brackets containing vertically disposed leg openings,each bracket comprising a corner piece having an outer side, portions ofwhich lie respectively in the planes of each of the flanges at thecorner, and an inner portion which fits into the cut-out, a flange onthe inner portion at the underside of the panel engaging the panelmarginally of the cutout, and right angularly disposed arms extendingfrom the corner piece beyond the cut-out with their upper edges abuttingthe underside of the panel and their lower edges restrained by rolled-inportions of the lower edges of the flanges.

11. A sheet metal shelf panel having right angularly disposed flangesalong its edges and an upwardly convex shoulder at the intersection ofthe edges of the panel with the side flanges, quarter circular openingsat the corners,

corner brackets disposed in the openings containing perpendicularlydisposed leg openings, each bracket comprising a cylindrical cornerpiece adapted to completely fill the cut-out and to round out thecorner, and right angularly disposed arms engaged with the inner sidesof the flanges at the corners, with their upper edges situated in theupwardly convex sides of the shoulders and their lower edges constrainedby rolled-over portions of the lower edges of the flanges.

.12. A sheet metal shelf panel according to claim 11, wherein the upperedges of the arms have convex portions adapted to nest within theupwardly convex sides of the shoulders at the edges.

13. A sheet metal shelf panel according to claim 11,

wherein the corner brackets contain threaded openings 15 disposedradially with respect to the leg opening for receiving set screws, bymeans of which the brackets may be fixed to supporting legs.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS1,136,245 'Leland Apr. 20, 1915 1,171,064 OConnor Feb. 8, 1916 101,685,064 Fritz Sept. 18, 1928 1,962,396 Katz June 12, 1934 2,011,357Ford Aug. 13, 1935 2,309,212 Reeves Jan. 26, 1943 2,633,996 LitchfieldApr. 7, 1953

